BMW has unveiled a fabric-covered roadster that can change its shape at the flick of a switch - and it’s the inspiration for propeller-badged cars both current and future.

BMW has revealed a radical shape-shifting roadster concept that has been the inspiration behind its controversial car designs - and will also influence the German brand’s future vehicles.

The Gina Light Visionary Model is a dramatic-looking two-seater sports car that swaps traditional sheetmetal for a near-seamless, stretchable fabric that can contort into different shapes.

The special waterproof and temperature-resistant “hybrid” fabric is draped over a high-strength metal wire structure that features a series of carbonfibre and steel-mesh struts in various locations. The driver can change the roadster’s exterior design by using switches to activate these electro-hydraulically controlled sections.

The headlights, for example, are hidden until switched on, when the fabric at the front of the car prises apart on either side of the signature double-kidney grille to reveal the double lamps.

Indicator and tail-lights simply shine through the translucent fabric cover.

If the engine needs to be accessed, the bonnet can be unzipped down the middle to create a half-metre-wide gap.

Some body changes are automatic. For improved aerodynamics at higher speeds, the Gina roadster will generate extra downforce by deploying a rear spoiler.

The two-seater research car isn’t just responsible for BMW’s controversial convex-concave (’flame surfacing’) design language on current models. The two-seater’s minimalist interior also led to the polarising iDrive menu controller system.

BMW says iDrive was spawned from one of the Gina’s principles - of “displaying only functions to the driver that are relevant to the individual driving situation”.

The Gina roadster’s steering wheel and instruments are even tucked away to allow the driver easier access. Only once the driver is ensconced do the steering wheel and instruments move outwards and the seat (and headrest) adjust automatically for the optimum driving position.

While pictures and details of the two-seater concept have only just been released, the car actually dates back to 2001 - according to overseas media invited to the car’s unveiling. It’s also reported that the Gina research concept sits on the platform of the Z8 roadster that last graced roads in 2003 (sold only in limited numbers as a left-hand-drive collector’s car in Australia).

The Gina’s shape-shifting exterior can certainly be seen in BMW’s 2001 X Coupe concept car - which debuted designer Chris Bangle’s polarising ‘flame surfacing’ design language - as well as current production models such as the Z4 (most obviously) and 1-Series.

The Gina Light Visionary Model is effectively a concept car behind a concept car. BMW calls it an “object of research”, saying that GINA is an abbreviation for “Geometry and Functions in ‘N’ Adaptions”.

Chris Bangle, talking in a promotional video for the Gina research roadster, says the car exists to encourage thinking outside the box not just about how future cars could look but also how they could be built.

“This [roadster] started a whole chain of ideas in the company [to the point] that Gina became not just a model, a shape, or just [an issue] about cloth as a [vehicle] skin … it became a real thinking process about doing things differently,” says Bangle.

“Does [a car’s outer skin] always have to be made out of metal? Do we always have to make it in the same manner?

“In reality, the aspects of crash [safety], [body] stiffness, and ride and handling capabilities can be handled in a spaceframe-type vehicle without the [metal] skin.

Bangle says the Gina philosophy is about being flexible and also creating a greater emotional bond between car and driver.

“Emotion is really the added function to this [concept],” he says. “Really, we want to achieve a higher emotional plain out of this. Gina should be about the human in the loop.”

The research car has now been wheeled into the BMW Museum in Munich for display, although the company says the guiding principles of Gina will continue to influence BMW’s designs a long way into the future.

As the pressure to reduce fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions continues unabated, it’s not just gasoline engines that are getting the right-sizing treatment. The diesel engine is set to shrink as well, at least at BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Both manufacturers currently offer diesel V-8s of 4.4L and 4.0L sizes respectively in their top models. However, both companies are likely to start replacing their current diesel model range with newer, smaller displacement alternatives with new boosting technology that will improve the power while reducing fuel consumption. That means following the path BMW has been traveling recently with sequential twin turbocharger systems such as the one on the 123d. These setups use a pair of different sized turbos that help to enhance torque at both low and high revs. This will allow the V-8 to be replaced by inline and V-6 cylinder engines while current six cylinder applications will go to fours. All of these will also likely be combined with mild hybrid systems for even more improvement. Besides the improved efficiency of the smaller engines, weight will also be reduced, further enhancing fuel economy. So far, the one exception to this trend is Audi which just announced production of the Q7 V-12 TDI with its new 6.0L V-12 diesel. That however will be a very low volume application and more mainstream units will probably go the downsizing route.

BMW India, a 100% subsidiary of the BMW Group, is planning to launch its cult premium small car MINI in India to cash in on the growing demand for luxury brands in India.Mini would be priced around Rs.2 million ($49,443.8) and it would be the costliest small car in the country.

“The team that carried out the feasibility study for the launch of Mini has submitted its report. It is being studied by our headquarters,” Peter Kronschnabl, president of BMW India Pvt Ltd, said here at Chennai.

Launching the company’s first dealer outlet in Chennai, he said: “Mini is not just a car. It is a brand. BMW has to study the feasibility of its launch here.” The company is currently looking at launching the X6 model. “Homologation of a vehicle takes at least six months. X6 will not be (launched) before 2009,” said Kronschnabl.

Upbeat about the company’s operations in India, Kronschnabl said BMW has increased its Chennai plant’s capacity by 1,300 units to 3,000 per year at an outlay of $750,000. “With this, the total investment in Chennai plant is $13 million,” he added.

Speaking on the company’s plans of expanding the dealer network, Kronschnabl said BMW would have 12 dealers in tier-one cities. “In the second phase of our distribution network expansion we will set up small outlets in tier-two cities,” he added.